An Ark in a storm

The Loft is now underway for the year and I caught the Silver Spine Arkestra last night. It’s an obvious reference and tribute to Sun Ra and I locked in the date when I saw it. I found the electronica and experimentalism of the band was a reminder of Sun Ra, but his embedding in the greater jazz tradition and swing and Ellington in particular was not on show to my ears. I trust the cult-like personal demands of the original were also missing: Sun Ra was inventive but he was also a demanding and idiosyncratic leader. I’ll put it down to his background on Saturn. The SSA played two sets, each comprising a single improvisation. The first was more rhythmically and harmonically obvious. Shoeb played bass guitar here on steady quarter or eighth notes that outlined a two chord pattern. I particularly enjoyed a 2 chord bass loop that was nicely tentative and meditative and seemed to merge the bass into the group improv rather than feature it as a definer of the groove. The second was more airy, as Shoeb toyed with mixer and electronics. For me, the defining point of contact for both improvisations was Evan’s drums with his unconventional rhythmic patterns that defined feels and moved to create structure and improvisational spaces. These spaces were effectively filled by laptop-generated drones and digitally effected, refracted and refactored tones from Reuben, and long, slow contrapuntal notes or bowed sax bits from Andrew on alto. Miro provided the melody, close harmony and percussion that added detail to the whole. I heard a similarity to modal Miles of the fusion period and Miro also mentioned that. I delighted in one precisely placed trumpet harmony with Andrew’s alto that was indelibly pure. And Miro’s trumpet reappeared in processed form from Reuben’s laptop at times. He also played some fascinating African percussion instruments and whirling drones. The second improvisation featured visitor Andy on piano. This was minimalist, meditative, modulating piano taking both gentle bass and alternative rhythmical roles and using closely spaced chords with slight alterations of one note or unassertive arpeggios. Like SSA’s namesake, this is challenging and unconventional music; music for closed eyes and not for visible pleasure; music as sound that crosses into free improvisation. Nice one.

The Silver Spine Arkestra comprised Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, percussion), Andrew Fedorovich (alto sax), Reuben Ingall (laptop electronics), Shoeb Ahmad (bass guitar, synth) and Evan Dorrian (drums). Andy Butler (piano) sat in for the second set.